1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a roller skate, and particularly an in-line roller skate, including a chassis of which one longitudinal lower portion carries the wheels, on the one hand, and a boot formed by an upper overlying a sole adapted to be fixed on an upper plate of the chassis, on the other hand, the internal volume of the upper and/or the sole being in communication with the ambient air at the exterior of the boot, so as to obtain the internal ventilation of the boot, as the skate moves forwardly.
2. Description of Background and Relevant Information
The aforementioned type of skate is adapted to the training of ice skaters outside of a skating rink, but also for any athletes eager to maintain or perfect, on asphalt or concrete surfaces, etc., the techniques used in gliding sports such as trail skiing, cross country skiing, ice skating, etc.
Thus, the practice of this sport includes a driving or propelling phase that occurs by causing the skate to diverge outwardly and by taking a lateral support on the wheels that are thus inclined, in a manner similar to edge setting, then a gliding phase that occurs by repositioning the wheels perpendicularly with respect to the ground.
A boot of this type is known from U.S. Pat. No. 5,171,033. This patent describes a boot that has the particularity of being made from a rigid shell including a plurality of ventilation openings leading into the internal volume of the shell. A liner is freely arranged in this shell so that the movements of the foot cause an internal ventilation by means of a cooperation between the pumping action provided by the movement of the liner within the shell and the openings of the shell.
If such a concept is capable of promoting the aeration of the foot, it however maintains all of the rigidity of the boot, because although the shell receives a flexible liner, it constitutes a firm foot-enveloping structure.
Furthermore, the effectiveness of the pumping action exerted by the liner is quite uncertain due to the fact that in a boot of this type, one precisely seeks to avoid any relative foot movement that generates discomfort (friction, blisters) and lack of precision.
One also seeks in such a product a flexible and light boot structure which ensures a good foot retention, a comfort of use, and less fatigue.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,401,039 discloses ventilating the internal volume of the shell by supplying ambient air, captured from outside the boot, by holes provided in the lower plane of the sole, via a conduit at the end of which an air inlet is provided, and inside which a turbine affixed to one of the wheels of the skate is positioned to ensure the rotational drive thereof.
This is a complicated design due to the fact that it requires the use of moving elements. In addition, the air is freely introduced in the shell, which provides a diffuse aeration that does take into account that a moving foot has specific perspiration points toward which the ventilation air must preferably be directed.